You Left Me aLoNe
by Nicole Lo
Summary: How will Scott handle things when his world crumbles and Shelby cheats on him? Manuela’s in and out of asylms bcuz of Craig. This is the last resort. Horizon. sequel: Till I Get Over You. Degrassi Higher Ground Crossover Fic
1. One: This is the Air I Breathe

You Left Me Alone  
  
By: Nicole Lopez  
  
Summary: Manuela's mother is fed up with her behavior. She's been in and out of insane asylums, has gone through counseling-everything to get over someone who never really loved her. Now, this is the last resort. Horizon. Will is be able to help her and turn everything around. Even more so, will her previous obsession bleed over to someone else .  
  
New Characters: Manuela Santos- 16 years old, Puerto Rican, the oldest of two siblings, went through a massive change during high school when she became obsessed with this guy and tried to kill him when she discovered that he didn't love her, has many self-esteem issues, etc.  
  
Chapter One: This is Air I Breathe  
  
"No!!!!" Manuela yelled in her sleep, tossing from side to side. She woke up in a cold sweat. It had all been a bad dream. Remnants of the time she spent locked up, in that white jacket, stayed with her. Even now that she was better, or at least that's what she had convinced her mother of, the memories were still with her. Manuela looked at her clock, realizing it was way too early to be up. She had at least four hours before school started.  
  
She lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes. Realizing that her dream- actually real-life nightmare was still with her, she sat up and started to get ready for school anyway. I'll make him love me, She thought, preparing for a nice long bath.  
  
"No. I'm beyond that. Craig doesn't love me. He loves Ash." Manuela sighed to herself, remembering how it felt to have a guy truly love her. Only one problem, he loved Ashley more. "I'll make him love me." She whispered to herself, unable to shake the feeling, the longing of needing him there.  
  
"You and Ash are finally back on track, eh?" Spinner asked Craig who walked down the hallway confidently and happily.  
  
"Of course. You know I realized that me with Manny was just wrong. I mean she's so young . and she just wanted too much from me." Craig answered, grinning.  
  
"Hey you." Ashley said to Craig, falling into step with him and holding his hand. "So, are you coming tonight?"  
  
"Fine. Don't say hi to me. Just pretend that I'm not there." Spinner interrupted, pretending to be hurt.  
  
"Sorry. Hey Spin." Ashley paused. "Will you be there?"  
  
"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Ashley Kerwin in a pageant, that's my kinda thing." Craig joked.  
  
"Yeah me too." Spinner added, though no one noticed. They were too wrapped up in each other. "Okay. I guess I'll see you later guys." He walked off, going to find someone who actually paid attention to what he had to say.  
  
"This is my stop." Ashley smiled, squeezing Craig's hand. After finally getting him back, she did not want to let him go even for a second.  
  
"Aren't you gonna go in?" Craig wondered after they had been waiting outside the door for a while.  
  
"Yeah. Sure." Ashley replied, not wanting to appear vulnerable and clingy. She started to walk away.  
  
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Craig asked, pulling Ashley in for a passionate kiss. Instantly, everything felt better.  
  
"I can't believe that. Look at him kissing her." Manny complained to Hazel, who was her only friend these days. Ever since her breakdown, everyone was completely against her.  
  
"Hon, I thought you were over that. Besides, Craig is so . so .. He's just not what you need." Hazel finally decided. "Now that boy, he's just gorgeous." Hazel pointed out a tall Filipino guy.  
  
"He's okay, but you don't understand Haze. Craig was it. I could feel it. I knew it. I know it, and we have some things to resolve. He looks so unhappy with her. She can't give him what I can." Manny convinced herself. Hazel stood by quietly wondering if Manny was beginning to obsess over Craig again.  
  
"He looks pretty happy to me." Hazel whispered as Manny took off, taking Ashley's departure as a cue.  
  
Manny quietly followed Craig, making sure that no one knew what was going on. She knew where his locker was-and that no one was ever in that hallway. This would be the perfect time to make him see the error of his ways. "Guess who." Manny demanded, covering Craig's eyes and taking in his scents.  
  
"Manny? No, it can't be." He muttered to himself.  
  
"Miss me?" Manny smiled, removing her hands from his eyes and running her hands through his hair. "You changed it. It's shorter." She commented as Craig stood by dumbly, not knowing what to say next.  
  
"I thought you were."  
  
"What incapacitated?" Manny smirked. "You're easily fooled. I couldn't wait to get back here. I missed everyone here. Especially you." Manny reached up and drew Craig in for a passionate kiss. Only, he had different plans. He pushed her away.  
  
"What are you doing here Manny? I mean you stalk me and ruin my relationship with Ashley . I can't believe you're even here." Craig sneered, grossed out by her presence.  
  
"Is this the thanks I get? I was there when Ashley wasn't. I gave you everything." Manny lowered her voice. "What is with you Craig? Do you not realize a great thing when you see it?"  
  
"You're great, but Ashley's perfect." Craig paused. "Do you know how long it took for me to finally get her to trust me again? Do you know what we went through that year you were out?"  
  
"Do you know what it's like to have the one person you care about tell you that your love isn't enough? What you and Ash went through couldn't compare to the hell I went through." Manny sighed. "I really thought you'd be happy to see me or something, but I guess not."  
  
"Then why are you still here? We both got what we wanted out of . whatever you want to call it. It's over Manny. Move on. I have." Craig walked away, completely forgetting why he went to his locker in the first place. He left Manny feeling unwanted, and unloved. She knew that feeling all too well, but this time she knew a way to end her pain. She knew a way to make sure that her and Craig got the happily ever after ending she always wished for.  
  
(A/N: I will write about the kids from Horizon in the next chapter, and things will flip flop from there on. This is a Crossover story, so what do you expect?) 


	2. Two: Your Presence Lifts Me

Chapter Two: Your Presence Lifts Me  
  
New Characters: Stephanie Li Bai- 17 years old, Cambodian, an only child who always gets what she wants, always in and out of relationships, believes that money can buy happiness, desperately wants to move away and go off to college- strict mother, doesn't really have any true friends, everyone uses her for money  
  
Paauow Blue- 17 years old, Native American, one of five children but he is doing the foreign exchange thing and spending a year in Canada, very serious but playful, sort of outgoing, really into music, art, and other non-materialistic things  
  
"We have a new student at Degrassi High. Everyone say hello to Paauow." Ms. Kwan told her third period English class.  
  
"He is so hott." One girl commented as Manny searched to see if Craig had skipped out on class after their little episode. She was practically the only one in grade eleven in this class . all that extra studying just to be near him.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" Paauow asked Manny who was still absorbed in her quest to spot Craig.  
  
"Hello. The new guy is talking to you." Hazel mumbled. "He is so cute!"  
  
"Why don't you answer for me? I have something more important to deal with, okay?" Manny went on, ignoring Paauow until someone else offered him a seat elsewhere.  
  
"You totally blew it back there." Hazel commented, wishing that he friend would stop her manhunt. "He's not coming."  
  
"What do you know?" Manny snarled, angry that Craig hadn't showed up, and angry that Hazel was probably right.  
  
"You know the best way to get an old boyfriend back is to make him realize what he's missing." Stephanie butted in. Both Hazel and Manny stopped to look at her.  
  
"That's not the way to get Craig back. If you're meant to be, he'll come back to you on his own will, not because he feels pressured to." Hazel responded.  
  
"How exactly would you do that?"  
  
"Make him jealous . pretend like you don't notice him or care anymore." Stephanie grinned. "And if all else fails you can always get the girlfriend to hate him-that way you get her out of the picture for good."  
  
"You know what Steph? Most of the time the stuff you say makes no sense, but it's clear to me now."  
  
In another nearby school  
  
"There is no way she's gonna make the team." Dominic said to his best friend Scott Barringer, who was slowly making his way to being the best on the Varsity team. He was already one of few sophomores that was on the team already.  
  
"I don't know due, she's pretty fit." Scott responded, checking her out. "Coach might let her on as a sympathy bid, so he won't look sexist." The line moved up as Orlando, who was in front of Dominic, got ready for a pass.  
  
"But are they seriously thinking about letting her play? Football's a man's sport." Rose chimed in, hearing everything that all the guys had been saying about her.  
  
"Whoa. We didn't mean it like that." Scott apologized. "I'm Scott Barringer." He began, but Rose cut him off.  
  
"I know who you are. Star football player and star cheerleader." She pointed to Jennifer. "That's my cousin smarty." Rose rolled her eyes.  
  
"Yeah, well I'm Dominic." Scott's best friend chimed in, seizing the moment to slip her is number, casually. Rose shook his hand.  
  
"You know you're up?" She wondered.  
  
"Yeah. Watch the pro." Dominic responded as he not only missed the pass, but slipped on the wet grass in the process.  
  
"We watched the pro alright." Scott laughed, as Dominic got up, trying to recover, but Rose was already giggling along with everyone else.  
  
"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work." Shelby told Juliet who was seizing this opportunity to rekindle what she and Scott never had.  
  
"What do you mean?" Juliet asked innocently.  
  
"Look Queenie, he's mine."  
  
"That's not what he said the other night." Juliet simpered evilly.  
  
"You have no idea what Scott and I were talking about so just back off okay!" Shelby yelled completely loosing her cool and letting Juliet win.  
  
"Okay Shelby. Chill out. I know you're in a tough bind, but so was I. We both lost the same guy . well you lost him twice, but I sympathize with you. If you ever need anyone to talk to, let me know." Juliet responded being completely fraudulent, as usual. She knew, as did Shelby, that they could never trust one another.  
  
"If you think you can get him before I do, bring it on." Shelby challenged, brushing past Juliet's shoulder and heading toward the field. She knew that's where Scott was.  
  
"Hey Ash." Craig greeted his girlfriend shyly. He had been waiting all day to see her.  
  
"Ready?" Ashley asked, hooking her arm in his, beaming with happiness. Things had gone from horrible to perfect so quickly that he brain hardly had time to process what was going on.  
  
"Yeah, but um first . I need to talk to you." Ashley froze, hating to hear those words in a sentence together. The last time he said that was after she dumped him. Yet, he still decided to come over with the whole "I need to talk to you," telling her all the details about his relationship with Manny and how he had made a mistake. Yaddah ya.  
  
"Umm, what is it?" She inquired. "I'm almost afraid to ask."  
  
"Manny's back." Craig began as Ashley's jaw dropped. "She's here now and I don't think anything has changed. She thinks . Sh-She thinks that I love her and I just want you to know, for the record that you're the only one for me." Craig took Ashley's hands in his, studying them. "An-And-"  
  
"Shh." Ashley put her finger to his mouth. "I trust you baby. I know you wouldn't do anything stupid." Ashley smiled, hugging him. "I seriously thought it was something serious . Manny has nothing to do with us anymore. She's innocuous, harmless . of no importance." They walked on, as Ashley trailed behind, holding onto Craig's waist. "You're mine."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Manny wondered, ready to cause some trouble. "Because last time I checked, we were sharing him . Craig had a pretty sweet deal. Kiddie Affection with you and the real thing with me." She looked at Craig, stopping her urge to touch him. "He's an animal in bed you know?" Manny took pleasure in seeing Ashley cringe at the thought of them together. "And you should've heard him when he screamed my name. 'Oh Manny!' 'Don't stop!'" She imitated him as Ashley started studying the ground.  
  
"Manny, cut it out." Craig demanded, trying to protect Ashley from any more pain.  
  
"Why? Can't you handle the truth?" Manny circled around the two of them. "You know it's funny. I leave for . a year and so much has changed." She stopped directly in front of Craig. "But, I know some things are still the same. I know you want me Craig. You don't have to hide it. You don't have to pretend." Manny stroked his arm. "I'll go slowly."  
  
"Back off Manny!" Ashley yelled, getting in between the two of them. "Are you so pathetic that you can't even realize that Craig's in love. With me! Are you that blind." She grabbed her boyfriend's hand, dragging him to the car, and leaving Manny to feel completely alone and unfulfilled. Life is unfair.  
  
(A/N: What do you think so far? Cool huh? Or not? R/R) 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: I'm Desperate For You  
  
"Whoa, she really can play." Scott watched in amazement as Rose caught the last pass, without hesitation, even though she was being guarded by a guy who had a good hundred pounds on her.  
"Yeah. See that's how I like my women." Dominic responded. "Fit. Who knows what she's capable of with a body like that." They laughed.  
"Hey Scotty." Shelby walked over to Scott, who was completely sweaty from head to toe, not to mention shirtless.  
"What are you doing here skank?" Shelby rolled her eyes.  
"So we're reverting back to this then? You can't pretend like none of it happened Scott. It did. We were in love." She began.  
"Were. Past tense. What do you want from me now?" Scott wondered.  
"A booty call." Dominic joked as Scott forced himself to laugh. He couldn't show his pain, not even for a second. If they guys knew that he had gotten his heart broken, that his world was falling apart, all over some chick, he'd never hear the end of it.  
"No, seriously Scott. Look at me." Shelby stared straight into his eyes. "I love you. I want you to talk to me Scott ... I want you to be here-"  
"I am here. I was there for you!" Scott backed away from her as things started to heat up. "Why can't you just leave it alone?" He began to walk away. "No, Wait!" Shelby yelled, running after him. "We've been together for way too long. I love you so much Scott. So much more than you'll ever know because you're afraid. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm so sorry about what happened, but I can't take it back." Shelby's voice softened as her eyes started to tear up. "It's killing me to see you like this. And every moment I want to be there for you. We can get away Scott. We can make it out there together, but I need you."  
"Like hell you do Shelby!" Scott proclaimed. "I saw you. You think you're slick, but I saw you. You were with him." He accused. "You were with him." Scott repeated, sitting down on the nearest step and curling into a ball.  
"I'm sorry Scott. What more do you want from me? Do you want me to tell you how much I hated it, or- or how much I wish I didn't have to do it? How much I wish that it was you instead?" Shelby ran her hands through Scott's hair, finally stopping and kissing his hair. "I love you." She kissed his hand, taking it in hers.  
"Like hell you do!" Scott pushed her off and ran the rest of the way back to his bunk, making sure to take the long way back.  
  
"Hey, can you tell me where the gym is?" Paauow asked Manny after her intense run in with Craig and Ashley.  
"You're shitting me, right? What guy doesn't know where the gym is?" Manny replied, still pissed off at how Craig had responded to her attempts to get him back.  
"No, I'm new here. I'm-" Manny cut him off.  
"I know who you are." She looked him up and down. Hazel was right. He was cute, but no one else came close to Craig. Paauow started to follow her, until she stopped in her tracks. "Do I look like a tour guide? I never said I was taking you to the gym." Manny fussed, trying to get rid of him. One guy in her life had already cost her a year of her life. She didn't need any more distractions. Just Craig.  
"But you are, aren't you?"  
She sighed. "Where else would I be going?" Manny gave in, knowing that the whole witchy act was too much for her to take on. Besides, Stephanie did say something about making Craig jealous. And Paauow seemed like he was stupid enough to go along with it.  
  
"Mom, I really want to go to Venezuela this Spring Break." Stephanie commented, knowing that a ton of other kids from Degrasis were going.  
"Venezuela? What could possibly be there that isn't in Paris?" Ms. Bai asked, amused at how her daughter was going to answer.  
"Nothing, but all the other kids are going and I want to go."  
"Darling, you can't be serious. You need to go to Paris. Learn some sophistication. Do something about that horrible accent of yours." She commented on her daughter's Cambodian accent. Somehow, she had changed hers to a more British type, but the Cambodian accent came out once in a while.  
"Mom. There's nothing wrong with my accent. Paris is so last year. You want me to keep up with the trends, don't you? You want me to be happy, don't you?" Stephanie urged, knowing that she almost had her mother on this.  
"I want you to be happy, but Venezuela will only bring sadness. All those poor people. They'll rip you off and try to make you feel guilty for being beautiful and rich. I won't have it! Now Paris..." Ms. Bai continued on, being loquacious as usual. Stephanie could see that she was going to have to talk to "daddy dearest" about this one.  
  
"This is the gym?" Manny nodded.  
"Cool, now where's the art room?" Paauow asked.  
"You can't be serious." Manny stopped and slowly turned around. I'm not your tour guide freak. I don't even know why I'm wasting my time doing this."  
"It was a joke." Paauow lied, realizing that he was trying to befriend the wrong person.  
  
"Look, I'll introduce you to the guys, but nothing else. Got it?" Manny began to feel guilty about how she talked to him. Hazel was right. He was cute ... in the Dreamkeeper kinda way. Paauow followed her into the gym as the guys suddenly stopped their basketball game, looking at Manny. "You would think a ghost was here." She whispered to herself, speaking of the way they were looking at her.  
"Manuela." Jimmy ran towards her, giving her a hug. Finally. Someone at this school cared about her.  
"It's Manny." She told him, feeling a need to keep her distance after being hurt by Craig.  
"Yeah. Whatever. You here to play ball with us?" Jimmy wondered.  
"In these heels, right?"  
"We did it before." Jimmy stared at her intensely, almost looking through her body. It gave her chills.  
"Actually, I wanna play." Paauow spoke up. Manny was actually glad that he was there. She was about to lose control and do something she shouldn't.  
"Sure." Jimmy scoffed, turning back to Manny, who had widened the gap between them to a couple of feet.  
"You heard the man. Let him play." She begged as Paauow dropped his bag to the side.  
"Actually, we were waiting on someone else." Jimmy muttered.  
"Who?"  
"Hey guys!" Craig yelled, rushing to the gym. He hadn't noticed Manny, but she knew that voice. She slowly turned around.  
"What a small world." She smiled to herself. "Hey babes!" Manny called to Craig, who instinctively stopped before reaching the other guys.  
"No shit." He muttered to himself.  
"No, it's me. Aww, don't look so sad. I know what you're thinking. Ash isn't around." Manny added, tempting him.  
"Guys. I don't I'll ... I've gotta get outta here." Craig finished, changing his sentence, when Manny touched him.  
"You don't have to run away. If you want me to back away ... I will. Just don't cut me off completely. I can't go on without ... without fixing this." Manny lied, trying to keep herself from saying 'without you.' "That's what they taught me. I guess I kinda forgot that I never had you." She added, sniffing. The tears would start coming soon. "I feel so stupid for acting that way around Ash. I mean you guys deserve each other and..." Tears fell onto her cheeks.  
"I'm sorry Manny." Craig apologized, hugging her. Bingo. He fell for it!  
"I was so stupid." She whispered, loving the way his body was feeling next to hers. It was perfect, everything about it. Except that it was only an allusion ... but not forever. Just temporarily. For now. 


	4. Four: I'm Lost Without You

Chapter Four: I'm Lost Without You  
  
"Look, are you playing or what?!" Jimmy yelled, interrupting my moment with Craig. He looked down at her.  
  
"Go ahead. I should get going anyway." Manny whispered feeling a little relieved that Jimmy ruined the moment before she could do anything stupid.  
  
"No. You can stay. I'll go." Craig offered.  
  
"Look, stop trying to be sweet. I know you wanna play, so go ahead. Just ..." Manny paused, trying to think of the right words to say. "Just have fun." Craig nodded, running back to the court. She followed him, picking up her bags, which she had left with Paauow.  
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Paauow asked.  
  
"I've gotta get outta here. Why, you miss me?" Manny joked as Craig glanced at her long enough for her to feel his jealousy.  
  
"I thought you were gonna join us ... you know give me a run for my money." He joked back.  
  
"Manny? She doesn't even know how to dribble the ball." Jimmy challenged.  
  
"Wanna bet?" Manny asked, putting her hands on her hips. Fine day to wear heels, she realized. At least they weren't stilettos. Besides, she couldn't back down now otherwise she'd never hear the end of it.  
  
"I don't understand what he wants from me." Shelby admitted to the newest Cliffhanger, Jacquie. Normally, she'd be talking to Daisy, but ever since she'd been transferred to Ridge Runners, things just hadn't been the same between them.  
  
"He has every reason to be pissed off at you. Shelby, you were sleeping with another guy." She reasoned.  
  
"But you don't understand. I had to protect my sister ... I had to..." Shelby started to break down.  
  
"I know that but he doesn't." Jacquie replied, untouched by her tears. "Would you cut the crying? I can't take anyone's emotional bull shit but my own, okay?" Shelby continued crying until Jacquie gave in and brought her a tissue. "Better?" She nodded as Orlando walked into the room.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Shelby looked up long enough, just to notice his presence.  
  
"I came to see what you girls were up to."  
  
"The usual girl talk. Do you want to join us or something?" Jacquie commented. She still didn't seem to understand that her "tough girl" act wasn't fooling anyone.  
  
"Yeah. Tell me, what does it take for a guy like me to date one of you ladies?"  
  
"A serious miracle." Shelby looked at Jacquie and smiled. She had been thinking the exact same thing.  
  
"Ouch." Orlando sat down on the same bed as them, making himself comfortable. "You know whatever's going on between you and Scott ... he's really torn up about it."  
  
"So the truth reveals itself." Jacquie intervened.  
  
"You all act as if I hurt him on purpose. I'm sorry. What else does he want from me?" Shelby asked Orlando, becoming emotional all over again.  
  
"He wants an explanation. At least tell him why you did it."  
  
"I can't do it—I can't, but I didn't mean to hurt him. I love him." She promised.  
  
"Tell him that. Make sure that he knows that all this separation isn't working, okay?" Jacquie demanded, knowing that Shelby was going to have an emotional breakdown at any moment.  
  
"Would you guys at least pass me the ball? I'm sick of standing here." Manny complained.  
  
"You're center." Spinner explained.  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Meaning that you're supposed to be blocking guys from making any shots, not just standing there." He answered.  
  
"Okay. I can handle that!" Manny yelled back, but she was still clueless to what she was supposed to be doing. As Craig dribbled down the center, Manny watched adoringly. He looked so beautiful, so perfect.  
  
"Earth to Manny!" Jimmy yelled. "You're supposed to be blocking him, not watching."  
  
"And you're supposed to be stealing the ball and scoring points, or are you going to let Craig ease by and score two more points." She responded.  
  
"Give me the ball." Jimmy mumbled, angry. Manny had just dissed him in front of his boys and this was not going to happen again.  
  
"I just don't know what to do with her anymore Sophie. After this breakdown I'm worried about her. I am truly worried." Sonya explained her childhood friend. No one else knew the complete and true story of what happened to her daughter, but Sophie.  
  
"Well, you took her to get some counseling, and she's doing better, right?" Sophie asked. She had been working with Peter and the kids at Horizon for years, so she was use to offering advice.  
  
"I guess. She hasn't really been talking to me and I have no idea what to do." Sonya admitted. "Should I send her somewhere else, or just let her finish up her last couple of years at Degrassi High."  
  
"Just see how it goes. I know that you've been struggling with her for a couple of years. Give her some time to adjust. She hasn't done anything drastic yet, has she?" Sophie questioned.  
  
"Not yet, but last time it was completely out-of-the-blue. I didn't even see it coming." Sonya responded with a sigh. "Enough, enough of this. What have you been up to Fefe?" She asked out of politeness.  
  
"Wow. I lot. Peter and I have been going through some rough times, but we're working it out-"  
  
"That's great ... you guys working it out and all." Sonya cut in. "I've really got to go. Manny should be home soon and I want to spend some time with her, you know, find out what's really going on."  
  
"Okay. Good lu-" Sophie couldn't even finish before Sonya hung up. She had always been like that. Selfish. It was a wonder that she could handle giving more attention to her child than herself.  
  
"I can't believe I'm actually here with you." Craig admitted, parking his car as he and Manny got out and walked towards the park.  
  
"Me either. I mean I thought you totally hated me," Manny said, finally able to gain her senses. If she was gonna win him back, she was going to have to play it cool and not let her infatuation with him get in the way.  
  
"Course not. I just." Craig paused, looking for the right words to say. "I just didn't want Ash to get the wrong idea. I really love her and things are so perfect for us and..." He looked down at Manny, who had failed in pretending like she and Craig were just friends.  
  
"So you really love her?"  
  
"Yeah. More than I can say." Craig smiled, sitting down on a bench next to Manny.  
  
"What do you love most about her?"  
  
"Ash? I love everything about her," Manny nods. "...the way she laughs, the way she says my name, her independence her talented ness ... everything."  
  
"Your relationship sounds perfect." Manny smiled to herself, sadly. "I mean, I'm so happy for you. I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I tried to tear you apart."  
  
"It was partially my fault by getting involved with you." Manny nodded.  
  
"But still. I took it way too far. I got caught up in what I thought was love and now I've lost two good friends." She whispered, starting to feel sorry for herself.  
  
"But, I'm still here." Craig whispered back. They sat in silence for a while as Manny tried not to cry and Craig tried to decide whether or not he should hug her and comfort her.  
  
"Will you play me a song then? For old times sake?" She wondered, feeling like a small child again. It was amazing how he was the only one that could make her so confused and so focused at the same time.  
  
"I really don't think that it's fair." Jennifer argued. "Sophie, at all the other schools they have fall dances, so why can't we?" She asked.  
  
"This isn't just any normal school. We're here to help you guys get on your feet, not add more stress to it." Sophie answered, distantly.  
  
"You know, we could plan everything and I'm sure all the kids would love it." Jennifer pressed. "Besides, afterwards, we can do this big reflection thing on how we felt and everything." She added, trying to reel Sophie in.  
  
"I know exactly what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. No dance." Sophie stood up from her desk, grasping a thick folder in her arms.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"This?" Sophie wondered, looking down at the folder. "This is top secret. No one will know what's in it except for me and Peter." Sophie responded secretly.  
  
"You guys make being here such a drag. Have a little fun once in a while, or at least let us have some fun!" Jennifer called back behind Sophie who continued to walk until she reached the door. A small stack of papers that were paper clipped together fell out of the folder. "Sophie, you..." but she was already done.  
  
Jennifer took a closer look at the papers. At the top it read: Manuela Yanla Santos. Must be a newbie or something. Jennifer shrugged it off and left the papers on Sophie's desk. Nothing too interesting would be there anyways.  
  
"Manny, are you planning on taking out the trash and doing the dishes sometimes?" Her older step-sister complained, smirking and looking down at her younger sister.  
  
"Don't I even get a 'hello, how was your day?'" Manny responded, perturbed. Her sister was so nit-picky about cleanliness that it was starting to get on her nerves. "If it bothers you so much, than why don't you clean it? You're here all day anyway." Manny added, knowing that what she said would cause an argument.  
  
"And you think I do nothing?" Melanie asks, as Manny shrugs, knowing that an argument is going to come. "I do a lot." She elaborated, following Manny into her room.  
  
Manny closed the door in her face, locking it, just trying to get a few moments to herself before her sister made her feel inferior again. It was like this almost every day. She was always the ungrateful, disrespectful, dirty little sister. Just say one contrasting word to Melanie and World War III would break loose in the Santos house.  
  
"I'm talking to you..." Melanie yelled, angry that the door was closed, so that she could no longer follow her sister around. Furthermore, Manny had a lot of things on her mind ... mostly Craig, but it was still very important.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this. I already have enough emotional drama as it is." Manny said, unlocking her door and walking into the kitchen to get some food. Melanie kept going, calling Manny a slut, unappreciative, sometimey ... everything in the book. But then she said something that would completely change everything.  
  
"I want my CD back."  
  
"What?" Manny answered back, laying down the orange juice that she pulled from the refrigerator.  
  
"I want it back today. I told you last week to make a copy of it, but you never did. I want it back." Melanie repeated.  
  
Manny walked into her room, giving her the CD. "You proved me right." She retorted.  
  
"And you proved me right."  
  
Manny couldn't even go to her mother, who never really cared or got involved anyway, because no one else was home. All she did know that Melanie had ruined all of her plans. She was going to use that song for the talent show, which they'd been working on together. Craig was going to be in the talent show, for sure, and when he saw that Manny had more talent in her pinky toe than Ashley, he'd dump her in a heartbeat.  
  
But all that was over. Manny looked down. Not even the simple rush of performing. Everything was gone now, and she was left with bad thoughts. Thoughts of her deadbeat father, thoughts of Craig leaving her, even her fling with Jimmy, but they all had one thing in common. All were gone. None of them really cared for her. And now the one thing she had left was being taken away from her. It was almost enough to make her result back to the blade ... almost ... What the heck, Manny thought, playing with the blade that she had so carefully hidden in her top drawer. Just one little cut. It would all make it better. 


	5. Four: I'm Desperate For You

Chapter Five: I'm Nothing Without You  
  
"Manuela! Manuela!" Sonya Santos yelled, as soon as she got home. She walked up to her daughter's room, which was locked. "What are you doing in there?" There was no reply. "Manuela!"  
Manny rushed to the door, opening it sharply. "What mom?"  
"Wow. You're in a bad mood. Rough day at school?" Sonya wondered, moving one of Manny's shirts off her chair and sitting on it.  
"Since when do you care?"  
"I care. I worry about you a lot honey ... besides you look horrible. I really don't want anything else to happen to you."  
"Can you be serious for one moment mom? What do you want?" Manny asked pulling her sweat suit top down lower and lower.  
"Honestly. I just don't want you to do anything stupid. I can't afford to have you mess up the family reputation again. Luckily, your first little performance went unnoticed. Everyone thinks that you went to live with your father. Just make it through these next two years, then I don't care what you do." Sonya responded.  
"Thanks for caring." Manny whispered after her mother was gone. She rolled up her sweatshirt top to take a look at the new gash on her wrist. All the others had almost healed and this was all she had left. But even this deep cut wasn't doing much. Her mother's words stung and she was ready to take to the pills all over again.  
  
"It was a total bust." Jennifer told her cousin Rose. "How can they do this to us? They say that they want us to be happy and normal, but they treat us like glass."  
"Jenn. It's not a big deal. So what, we can't have a dance. At least we get to play sports." Rose answered. "And they're starting that performing arts program thing like you've been wanting."  
"But this place could be so much better." She sighed as Scott came into view.  
"Any place is better than home, right?"  
  
"Actually, I miss home. I miss how things use to be." Jennifer starting reflecting back to her sophomore year, which she had spent with Scott.  
"You mean you miss Scott?" Jennifer nodded as he came closer and closer to them.  
"Hey Jenn," Scott said completely surprising her. Normally, he just walked the opposite way with Shelby or someone else.  
"You're talking to me now? I feel so special." Jennifer retorted, not wanting to seem like she cared, but caring almost as much as she use to.  
"You going to dinner?" Scott wondered.  
"I don't know. I'm not really hungry, you know? But whatever. Peter and Sophie will make us go anyways." Jennifer responded.  
"I know, but at times they can be such a drag." Rose interrupted, so as to be noticed.  
"Yeah, they totally bagged my idea of a fall dance. How are we suppose to get on with our lives if we don't even do normal stuff?" Jennifer wondered, as she and Scott walked alongside one another.  
"You know they weren't gonna give us a dance right? It took forever for Shelby..." Scott's voice trailed off.  
"Too?"  
"Hey, do you want to meet me at the field after dinner?" Scott asked, leaving behind his distant thoughts for a second and looking deeply into her light brown eyes.  
"Are you serious Scott? What about Shelby?"  
"What about us? I just want to have some fun. I promise no one will get hurt." He ran his hands through his curly blonde hair.  
"You can't promise me that anymore than I can promise that something won't happen if I do meet you tonight."  
"Then let it." Scott walked off cockily, knowing that he had Jennifer. And he was right.  
"What do I do now?" Jennifer whispered as Rose caught up with her.  
"Just leave him alone hon. He's so not worth it." Rose rolled her eyes, while pulling on her ponytail.  
"Who are you kidding? He's worth it all the way." Jennifer smiled and began walking towards the girl's bunks.  
"Where are you going now?"  
"To get ready, of course and you are going to help me." Jennifer pulled Rose along, completely excited. At least something interesting was going to happen.  
  
Manny's phone rang, interrupting her sleep and thoughts with the stressed that followed after talking with her mother. Why did she even bother? "Hello?"  
"Manny." Her heart stopped. It was Craig.  
"Yeah, what's up?"  
"The guys and I got our first gig."  
"Shut up! Are you serious?" Manny smiled. "That's great." She smirked. "I didn't even know that you and Jimmy and all the guys were still working on that."  
"Yeah. It's great."  
"So, when is it?" Manny asked, excited. Craig was actually sharing apart of himself with her.  
"Friday night."  
"So, you're inviting me?" Manny wondered, surprised.  
"Of course. I mean you're the first person that I even told about this." Craig admitted.  
"Why? I mean, you have Ashley."  
"I thought you should be the first person to know." Craig whispered. "Why are we even fighting about this?"  
"I don't know. I've just had a bad night." Manny admitted.  
"Well, it's the afternoon now."  
"No kidding. What time is it anyway?" Manny sat up, her arm still stinging.  
"Almost twelve."  
  
"Uh, Craig. I've gotta go. I promised Jimmy I'd meet him at 'Sweet n' Low." Manny sighed. "I really want to talk to you though. Just meet me at the mall or something, okay?" She added.  
"Sure. I-"  
"Bye Craig!" Manny hung up quickly. She had exactly thirty minutes to take a shower, pick out something cute, and drive down to 'Sweet n' Low. Impossible. She wasn't gonna make it.  
  
"Well, well, well the princess finally decides to show up," Jimmy said standing up as Manny walked over to his table.  
"First of all, I'm a queen, and secondly I am so sorry. I wouldn't have gotten up at all if Craig hadn't called me." Manny admitted tugging at her dangly earring. Jimmy was staring at her so intensely; she'd wondered if she'd over-done it.  
"What, you had a late night or something?" Jimmy joked.  
"Yeah, a nice, long, romantic night." Manny joked back. "So, what are you staring at me for? Are you wishing that you could have this?"  
"No, I already know what it's like and I want more of it." Manny rolled her eyes.  
"Craig told me that you guys got your first gig. How cute."  
"Gig, what are you talking about?" Jimmy wondered, confused.  
Manny gasped. "You mean he didn't tell you. Oops." She said, sounding like she did all of this purposely, but really not knowing that she was doing any harm.  
"Why would he tell you before he told any of us? I'm in the band!" Jimmy yelled, bursting out of his seat.  
"I'm sorry. Jimmy, calm down. Craig will tell you and fix everything."  
  
Jennifer arrived at the green field all dolled up from earlier. Her hair was curly, make-up done (sort-of), and her outfit was cuter than usual. Considering that Horizon had strict clothing guidelines, she had actually managed to look good without breaking too many rules. At least Peter hadn't noticed. "Great. I'm early," Jennifer whispered to herself, blowing into her hands and trying to cool down. Suddenly, it had gotten cold and she was stuck wearing a majorly short outfit.  
"Actually, you're not. I left dinner early," Scott explained while coming closer to her.  
"Oh." She shivered. "So, what did you want to meet me here for?"  
"Come sit down," Scott commanded, taking a seat on the steps. Jennifer joined him.  
"I really hate it here."  
"Why?"  
  
"Why? We had the life back then Scott. The world was at our fingertips. Now I'm jobless, car-less, clothes-less, and I feel like I'm just another number here." Jennifer complained. "Plus I'm cold." Scott wrapped his arms around Jennifer's shoulders, rubbing them gently.  
"Better?"  
  
"A little." "Good." Scott smiled. "I think I kinda miss being home too." Jennifer gave him a confused look. "Not because I love the freedom and the materialistic stuff, but I just missed having fun, not like the wholesome Brady Bunch fun we have now, but all those wild parties. I mean we did some stupid shit, but it was fun shit, you know?" "Yeah. Like that time we all lied and said we were going to Janie's house, but we snuck in a club instead. We were so wasted after that." Jennifer laughed. "I remember that too. That's when we first kissed." "Na-uh." She shook her head. "I kissed you way before then, when you started dating Katie, but you told me we were 'just friends'. I was so crushed." "I don't remember that." Scott stopped rubbing Jennifer's shoulders. "You had like a different girl every week. It'd be hard to remember." Jennifer smiled. "Anyways, you still haven't told me what's up? Shelby on your case again." "I don't want to hear about her again, okay?" Scott turned away from her, trying to hold back all the emotions he was feeling. "So they're true." Jennifer whispered. "All those rumors I've been hearing about you guys breaking up and her cheating and-" "Shut up, okay? Shut the fuck up! You don't even know half the story." "Don't ever talk to me like that again. I may care for you, but I will not be talked to like a dog." Jennifer responded, setting the record straight. "You had no business prying." "And? You never tell me anything or talk to me. Why did you really call me here Scott? So I could kiss you and make it all better. So I could have sex with you? Because if that's what you wanted, then you're in way over your head." Jennifer got up and started pacing. "I mean, you really haven't changed at all. You're so predictable." "Look, maybe I just wanted someone to talk to." "And you chose me? Why? When we went out, you never talked to me about anything. You never told me about Elanie and how she-" "Don't you mention her okay?" Scott covered his ears. "Stop it!" Jennifer uncovered his ears. "Stop hiding. Just tell me what the problem is and I'll fix it, okay? But the only one who can make it better is Shelby." "But, I called you here okay? I want you to make it better like you use to. Make me forget," Scott commanded. "But I can't do that anymore Scott. Back then, I loved you with all my heart. I did it out of love. I didn't come to Horizon to stir up old feelings." "No, you came here to find more vulnerable girls to pray on and ... and ... manipulate." Jennifer put her hands over her eyes. "I hate it here. I've gotta get out. I'm going to Scott, and until you get over your Elanie and Shelby issues, you'll be here forever." Jennifer walked back to her bunk, not bothering to give Scott back his sweatshirt. He didn't deserve it.  
  
(a/n: So? How was it? Next time expect Manny and Jimmy at the mall and maybe a talent show, Manny-Ash drama, Shelby talking with her little sis, Scott distancing himself more and more, Rose's parents arriving ... I don't know, but a lot ... if you review!!) 


	6. Five: You Got Me Like a Loaded Gun

Chapter Five: You Got Me like a Loaded Gun  
  
"I'm here." Manny announced, sitting down across from Jimmy.  
  
"Looking good." He commented.  
  
"So what else it new? Still pissed off about Craig?" She wondered, playing with Jimmy's hand. Manny was still feeling a little down about what had happened last night ... how she resorted to cutting herself again. She needed a distraction from her pain.  
  
"Naw. It's cool. You're like the closest non-member to the band." He responded.  
  
"Closer than Ash? Yeah right." Manny sighed, looking down. Her cut was still throbbing a little, but she had bandaged it up really tightly. "She's such a bitch, you know, telling me that I can't talk to Craig and be around him? The only reason why she hates me is because I had sex with her boyfriend before she did." Manny grinned.  
  
"And you hate her because..."  
  
"Shut up. I don't want to talk about her, or Craig, or having sex with anyone." Manny admitted.  
  
"Not even me?" Jimmy joked as she rolled her eyes and yawned as if she were disinterested.  
  
"Let's go do something ... shopping."  
  
"And I'm paying." Manny nodded.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"So what do I get out of the deal?" Jimmy wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.  
  
"A whole, lot of fun." Manny admitted, between kisses, forcing herself to ignore the fact that if she couldn't have Craig, she didn't want anyone else. At all.  
  
"I really appreciate you standing up for me like that." Danielle told her older sister, giving her a hug. "It really means a lot."  
  
"I know, but he won't ever hurt you anymore baby." Shelby responded, trying to forget how she had let Walt's son feel all over her body. It gave her shudders just thinking about it. "You know you should've told me what was going on before you ended up here ... just like me."  
"I didn't want him to hurt mom ... and I felt so ashamed." Danielle cried, trying to find the right words to explain how helpless she felt. "It's like ... I feel like I can never trust anyone again. I'm so lost Shelby. What do I do if I like find someone who makes it all better ... someone I love ... someone I'm married to ... and he wants to have sex? What am I supposed to do?" Danielle continued crying, burying her face deeper and deeper into her sister's sweatshirt. There was no way to reverse what had been done ... and at times, Shelby felt the same way.  
  
She had lost Scott now. Her world, her everything, but Danielle was more important to her. Now, Shelby didn't know how to tell anyone that ... she was pregnant. And she knew that if anyone discovered what Will had been doing to Danielle ... the power he held ... he was the heir to everything her mother and Walt had. With her mother gone, Shelby had no control anymore and the only way they could stay here, and heal, was if she kept her mouth shut.  
  
Manny kissed, Jimmy passionately, trying to make herself forget that Craig ever existed. "I should've done this a long time ago." She whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come back to you ... I mean it's not anything serious is it?" Jimmy shook his head, ignoring every emotion that told him it was ... that told him that Manny could be the one.  
  
"It's just sex." He mumbled, letting himself imagine that he meant more to Manny.  
  
"I mean I'm beautiful, I'm sexy." Jimmy began ripping Manny's clothes off. "Why can't I..." Her voice trailed off as Jimmy began sucking on her neck. Within seconds, they moved onto the couch completely involved with acting on their lust. It wasn't until after their wants were satisfied that Jimmy noticed Manny's wrist.  
  
"What the hell?" He wondered. She followed his gaze, covering up her arm. "What are you doing to yourself?"  
  
"Nothing." Manny lied, feeling completely vulernable and naked. "I ... I was cooking last night and I have like really bad aim ..." she babbled.  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Don't tell anyone Jimmy. Please. I want to stay here. I want to get better, I'm just a little stressed and ... I'll do whatever you want. Please." She begged as Jimmy contemplated his options. Sex everyday wouldn't numb out the guilt of knowing that he let Manny do this to herself.  
  
"You need help." He pulled on his underwear and rushed to the phone.  
  
"No ..." Manny whispered. She couldn't let him ruin her life. She was finally back with Craig ... sort of ... "No!" Manny yelled, following Jimmy and hitting him over the head with one of the empty wine bottles they had drunken out of. Blood trickled from his head and it was done.  
  
"I'm sorry about last night ... when I came on to you." Scott apologized to Jennifer after everyone had left the cafeteria and they were cleaning up everything.  
  
"Uh-huh." Jennifer smiled. "But I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. You love Shelby. Go fix it. You know how." She responded.  
  
"You are an arrogant son of a bitch, you know that?"  
  
"I'm not a son of anything you jackass." Jennifer joked back. She was never able to "hate" Scott or not talk to him for very long.  
  
"Why is it always about me?" Scott wondered, after a while. "Miss fix- it always solves my problems, but never her own. Is there something you want to tell me?"  
  
"No. Nothing." Jennifer lied, avoiding his eye contact.  
  
"Then, what is it? Why are you here?"  
  
"I'm here because, like every other teenager on this continent, I am royally screwed up." She answered.  
  
"No. That's not good enough." Scott began to pry. "What's your deal?"  
  
"You really wanna know?" He nodded. "I came here to get my boyfriend back only to find out that he's in love with someone else." Jennifer paused. "It sucks because I can't do anything about it."  
  
Scott looked away. "Then why are you like helping me get back with Shelby?"  
"So we can have a three-way." Jennifer joked, trying to laugh it off. But she couldn't just deny the fact that she'd almost told Scott how much she loved him. That she'd faked everything to come here and that nothing was really wrong with her ... that would sound too ... deranged.  
  
(A/N: Go me ... with an update. Uh-oh review!! NL ) 


	7. Six: We Both Know and We’ve known it

Chapter Six: We Both Know and We've Known it

"What do you do when you are like falling in love with someone again?" Jennifer asked Rose who was the only person that she could really talk to.

"You falling in love with that white boy again?" She wondered, continuing to corn roll Jennifer's hair. "I don't know why you want me to do this anyway ... you know your hair is too fine for it to look good." Rose joked.

"Forget about my hair. I don't care what you do with it ... I just wish that Scott would just see me for once and not some other girl." Jennifer admitted. "How am I supposed to compete with someone who has blonde hair and blue eyes? Shelby is gorgeous."

"But you have a queen-like air about you ... you're like one of those rare jewels. Don't sweat it. I won't let anyone make you feel like you're not good enough." Rose added, finishing her cousin's hair.

"I wish he felt that way. When I was there with that last night ... I almost gave in and kissed him and told him everything I felt about him." Jennifer laughed to herself. "He wanted to know why I came here ... he wouldn't be able to handle the truth."

"Because we both know that neither one of us belongs here." Rose admitted. "But, you're my prima .. lo mismo de una hermana a mi. Te quiero." She hugged Jennifer, standing up and walking out the door.

"I love you too cuz." Jennifer whispered, with thoughts of Scott plaguing her even more than before. She had to do something other that sit around idly. All she wanted to do was kiss him and tell him how much she loved him.

"Where's Jimmy?" Craig wondered as Marco and Spinner both shrugged in response. "This is not cool ... how could he did this to us?"

"We can still go on ... I mean we have to." Spinner answered.

"He probably went out of town or something and forgot to tell us." Marco suggested.

"But he's the one with the solo ... not you guys. Jimmy." Craig continued to freak out. "I can't believe this." He mumbled, peeking out from behind the curtain. All the seats were nearly filled. Craig spotted Ashley easily, with her bright red and black hair. But ... there was one person he didn't see ... Manny. And the weird thing was that he really wanted her to be here, for some reason. She was the first one to know about this and she didn't even show up.

"Craig." He felt a tap on his shoulder, snapping him out from his daydream.

"What? I'm trying to think!" He yelled, without thinking about who was talking to him.

"Okay, I'm sorry I bothered you." Manny sighed, regressing back to her shy, sensitive self that she had kept hidden from everyone except for Craig.

"Oh Manny. It's you."

"Yeah, I know you probably don't want to see me here, but I really wanted to support you ... so here." Manny handed Craig some flowers. She looked like a train had just hit her. Manny gave Craig a forced smile and then forced herself to walk away.

"Wait ... Manny, what's wrong? And where's Jimmy?"

"He's in the hospital ... we got really drunk last night and ... I don't even know what happened." She lied, as her eyes teared up. "I thought it was just all fun, but ... I don't know..."

"In the hospital?" Manny nodded. "God." Craig rushed over to Manny, holding her tightly. Part of him did it because he felt like he had to and the other part genuinely wanted to hold her, and protect her ... after all he was the reason for why her life had been turned upside down.

"I should probably be going there then." He loosened his grip on her.

"No ... I mean, Marco and Spin need you. Jimmy should be fine. We were just ... having fun." Manny looked away, avoiding eye contact.

"Did you ... spend the night there?" Craig wondered, afraid of how she was going to respond.

"Yeah. We had sex." She answered, staring deeply into Craig's eyes, searching for a meaning and a reason to believe that he wanted her to be apart of his life. She couldn't read him.

"Okay." Craig turned away and walked towards the band, hurt. He was just surprised as Manny was to find out that he actually cared. A lot.

(A/N: Shorter chapters until I get at least three people to review per chapter ... next time, Jimmy's condition, Manny Craig and Ashley, Jennifer Scott, and Scott and Shelby)

THANKS TO: Activegirl00, liv, Unwanted Souless Freak, Mandy, Casey, Beth, Lynn, Manny, Jenni, vercua, keke1, carebear22, and Wendy for reviewing.


	8. Seven

You Left Me Alone:

Chapter Seven: Just Can't Turn Away

Five days later ...

Jennifer

"I am so happy, for the first time in my life everything's perfect." I admitted to my cousin who rolled her eyes.

"You know he'll hate you when he finds out. You have to tell him the truth Jenni."

"How can I? Tell him the truth ... I don't think I can. I don't want to go back and ..." My voice trailed off as I realized we had company.

"Something you want to tell me?" Scott looked suspicious, still unable to trust me after what happened with Shelby.

"Just that ...." I smiled, just knowing that nothing could ruin what we had.

"What is it? You're not leaving are you?"

"No. Of course not. I'd never leave you." I sat down on the steps, leaving Rose in the cafeteria.

"Then what is it?"

"Wow ... I don't know how to say this ... I think I'm in love with you." I began, closing my eyes in fear of rejection. "I love you Scott." I repeated, noticing that he wasn't pushing me away, he was understanding.

"Jenni, I-" I knew what he was going to say. I was longing to hear those words. Instead, something else happened.

"Scott, we need to talk." Shelby interrupted. She took a deep breath. "I know you hate me and you don't want to see me right now, but I'm willing ... I want to tell you the truth ... I can't live without you and ..." I turned away, unable to hear anymore. I knew what was going to happen. It was the same thing that happened when Scott had became the "big man on campus." When he met Elaine and I was just the shoulder to cry on. I didn't want to not mean anything to him anymore.

"I don't want you Shelby. I don't want any part of it ... your lies ... you." I looked over at Scott, filled with rage, yet unable to hide his love for her.

"Look, I really need to say this to you..." Scott turned around to face me, as if asking for my approval.

"Do what you need to do." I proclaimed, trying to make myself smile, hugging him before walking back to the cafeteria, defeated. I could've said no ... I could've done so many things differently. At that moment, I hated myself. I was so weak, so giving ... so unselfish at times. It hurt. I just didn't want to be alone anymore.

Manny paced back and forth in her house, looking at Jimmy. He was better than ... what he had been and no damage had been done. With her luck, he wouldn't be able to remember anything he saw and she could just kiss away any doubt he had for her. Jimmy had lost a lot of blood, which had scared her at first, but if there was one thing she learned from her mother, it was not to panic ... and so she'd gotten someone to come over and fix the problem. An ex-doctor. But there was still some doubt in her mind that he would be able to keep his mouth shut too.

"I can't go back there..." She whispered to herself, continuing to pace. They would take her away ... this time for good and ... she'd never see Craig again. Ba-rring! Ba-rring!

"Hello?"

"Manny, it's Craig."

"Oh. I mean, how are you ... did you perform?"

"Yeah. Ash made me." He laughed. "How's Jimmy?"

"Is Ashley there with you." Craig looked over at his girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat. She was less-than-happy about him calling Manny. But he appreciated her ... and was going to show it in every way possible. And, he had a surprise for her ...

"Yeah, she's here."

"Okay. When she's not come over and we can talk." Manny hung up, retreating to the couch. Just thinking about Craig made her feel empty. Because she didn't have him ... not yet.

Craig

"What did she say?" Ashley wondered, turning down the radio.

"What are you doing?"

"I really want to here it. I know she probably asked you to come over, so what's her excuse this time?" She rolled her eyes.

"Why can't you trust me?"

"She's obsessed with you Craig, more than I'll ever be ... and I don't see how I can compete with that." Ashley sighed, leaning against the passenger seat roughly.

"That's just it, you don't need to compete with her." I responded, stopping the car at my house.

"I thought you were taking me home."

"I was, but ... there's something I need to do." I helped Ash out of the car, sitting her on my couch. I left, moments later, ready to make a decision that would change both of our lives. "There's something I need to ask you..." I began.

"Then ask it, but I already know what it is." Ashley responded, adding more pressure to the situation. A couple of months ago, he wanted to say this, but now, everything had changed. Somehow, she found out about it and I knew ... I couldn't let her down ... everything they had was so convenient, seemingly perfect.

I knelt down on the carpeted floor, pulling out a small black box. "Ashley Kerwin ... will you marry me?"

Shelby

"I don't know what you want from me." I admitted to Scott who had reluctantly agreed to hear me out.

"You wanted to talk to me, so talk." Scott sat down in the corner, as far as he could possibly get from me in the small space.

"Scott ... this past has been hell for me. I hate not being able to tell you the truth. But I want to." I continued, wishing that he would believe me without me having to risk my sister.

"I know what's going on." He stated.

"You do? How?" My eyes lit up, in hope, knowing that we would be together.

"You're regretting what you did to me and now you want to come back. Something that only a skank would do." I sighed, walking over to him slowly.

"No." Inches separated us as I kissed him firmly. "No! Believe it or not, I had to do it and ... I want to get past this and spend the rest of my life with you. Remember when we were almost over and I thought you had left here ... I was so alone. But you came back and you danced with me." I sniffed, trying to stop the tears from coming. "And when you came back ... I knew we were meant for each other. I love you so-"

"Stop it!" Scott yelled, covering his ears. "This isn't what you said you were going to say ... be straight with me or I'm leaving." He headed towards the door.

"No!" I yelled. "You can't." My voice died down as my heart-rate accelerated. "I'll tell you everything." I promised, against my will. "I'm risking everything for you Scott ... you can't tell anyone."

Craig arrived at Manny's house later that night after Ashley had accepted his proposal. They would wait three years before getting married. But, it would be well-worth it.

"You're here." Manny opened the door before Craig had even rung the bell.

"Yeah. I wanted to see Jimmy." She moved out of the way so that he could pass.

"He's upstairs. They released him from the hospital .. he'll be fine." Manny stated, watching Craig barely acknowledge her presence.

"What the hell?" Craig asked as he looked at Jimmy. "What happened?"

"He's fine." Manny repeated. "Now, I want you to go."

"What? I just got here."

"Get out!" She yelled, pushing Craig away.

"Manny, what's going on here?" He noticed that she was crying, looking at her for the first time since he had walked into the house.

"Doesn't it bother you that I spent that night with Jimmy and I slept with him ... and I slept with ... all your friends? Don't you care?"

"What do you mean? You have a right to do whatever you want."

"No. I don't." Her voice broke. "Do you know what it's like to have everyone you've ever cared about walk out on you. Do you know what it's like to not be good enough for anyone?" She put her face in her hands. "I don't have anybody! My mother is dead, my father left ... my sister hates me ... and I love you so much Craig. It kills me that you don't give damn! So just get the hell out! Go!" Manny pushed Craig again, running down the hallway.

Craig almost walked out and left like something was telling him to, but he couldn't. Even after she had ruined his relationship with Ash, Manny was so much like him ... so alone so ... "I can't."

"What?"

"I hate having to pretend that I hate you so that everyone doesn't hate me. I don't hate you." Craig admitted.

"But I hate you. I can't have you." Manny backed away, into her room.

"I love Ash." Craig responded, trying to make himself believe it. "All I can offer is my friendship."

"I can give you everything." Manny promised, hugging Craig tightly. "I love you more than anyone could ever love you." She attempted to kiss him as Craig backed away. "I love you more than anyone could ever love you!" Manny repeated pounding on Craig's chest. After a while, she grew tired and let herself be comforted by him, entangled in his hug, so close to his lips ... his mouth ... his eyes said it all ... he loved her.

(A/N: This was a really weird chapter and if you're confused, don't worry ... so am I. I'll get to everything ... I promise. Jimmy will be in the next chapter and Shelby might spill the beans. Plus ... something happens that changes Manny's life forever. Please r/r with more suggestions. Thanks! Sorry it took so long for me to update ... it's that whole IB program. A word of advice, don't get involved in it. Mucho amor. NL)


	9. Eight: Rainy Day

Chapter Eight: A Rainy Day

"Scott ... I ..." Shelby began. He looked at her intensely, wondering what kind of lie she was thinking of that would be able to fix their situation.

"I'm waiting." Scott stated, icily, getting ready to walk away.

"I had to protect my sister. I ... if ... I didn't want Danielle to end up like me. So, when she told me that there was someone ... that someone had ... she had been raped and ..." Shelby's voice cracked, thinking about the fact that her little sister had been unjustly robbed of her innocence. "I made a deal with this guy to get him to leave her alone and I promised that I wouldn't tell anyone that ... about..."

Scott looked away, nodding. At first, Shelby wasn't sure if he believed her or not, but as he stood up, the answer was clear. "I can't believe you'd say something so low. How could you make this up Shelby? You're completely mental." Scott pushed past Shelby, heading towards the door. Part of him ached, seeing her so torn like that, but another part of him didn't want to be played for a fool. He couldn't be hurt again. By anyone. Especially someone that she still loved.

"Manny." Craig whispered stroking her hair as she slowly opened her eyes. He had spent the night at her house, just to make sure that she didn't do anything crazy. Craig had already called for someone to come and take Jimmy to a medical doctor. Whatever had happened ... he almost didn't _want _to know.

"Craig. What are you doing here?" Her eyes fluttered, as she gave him the look she used to when she wanted something from him ... that innocent look.

"I didn't want to leave you alone. After what you said last night, I couldn't." Craig avoided her large brown eyes, thinking about how he was going to get himself out of this mess. Marrying Ash. What had he been thinking?

"Does this mean that..." He shook his head as Manny felt the sudden urge to disappear. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have let Craig back in? "Why don't you just leave then?"

"Are you sure? I could stay a while." Craig offered as Manny struggled to stop her eyes from watering up.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid." Craig nodded, mumbling 'okay' and hugging Manny before he started to get up to leave.

"Manuela Santos!" Ms. Santos exclaimed, barging into the room, witnessing two teens engaged in what looked like an intimate hug. "What the hell is this?"

"He was just leaving." Manny explained, hoping that her mother wouldn't cause a scene.

"Yeah. Manny was here alone last night and she just needed someone to be here. I didn't want her to--" Ms. Santos slapped Craig before he could finish.

"You. Out." She demanded, yanking Manny up by her arm and dragging her into the living room. "My own kid, a slut. You know I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now I know you don't deserve it. That's it. The rumors were true and I can't keep you here anymore." Ms. Santos abruptly pushed Manny onto the couch, washing her hands as if it would rid her of Manny. Ms. Santos slapped a thick brochure on the living room table with the words _Horizon_ across the top. "You leave in a few weeks, so don't do anything _stupid_ until then."

"Jenni! Jenni!" Scott called, looking for his new girlfriend, the only one who got him here. He rushed into her bunk, noticing that she was packing.

"Are you going somewhere?" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Jennifer rushed into Scott's arms, crying softly. She knew that Shelby had gotten him back and that he was probably coming to tell her that it was over. "I know what you're going to say and I don't want to hear it. Let's just pretend like everything is fine and that this is a mutual decision." Jennifer rambled on, unable to believe that Scott would choose her over Shelby.

"What are you talking about? Did something happen at home Jennifer? Is the son of a..." She shook her head, unable to look at him. What would he think if he knew that she had made it all up? Jennifer had lied to be with him. There was nothing wrong with her family ... in the extremely dysfunctional sense. She was here to—

"You're back with Shelby."

"No. What made you think that?" Scott let go of Jenni, wiping away her tears.

"I can see the way you look at her."

"We just had unfinished business. I know how much of a liar she is and I can't take that. I hate to be lied to." Scott kissed Jennifer softly, which made him feel a little better, although he had to block out the thoughts that these kisses couldn't compare to how much he felt when he kissed Shelby. It was like they were each other for a moment. His kisses with Jennifer were just ... comforting. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"So you hate her now?" Jennifer's eyes flickered and brightened for a moment.

"I don't want to ever hear her name again."

"Did you see the rock on her hand?" Stephanie muttered to Hazel, stopping the chatter as soon as Manny arrived.

"What's going on with you guys?" Manny had reverted back to another short skirt and low-cut top to mask her inner distress. She was torn, but no one had to know it.

"Nothing." Stephanie lied as Hazel gave her a look.

"We might as well tell her. She'll find out anyway." Hazel chimed in. Manny looked away for a moment, noticing Craig. He looked so gorgeous with his hair all wild like she liked it. What he had done for her was so ... nice. She knew that there was something there still and that he was just too afraid to let go of Ash. But, he was going to and Manny was going to be right there when he realized what a witch Ashley was.

"Manny." Stephanie began, snapping her out of her fantasy.

"Ashley and Craig are engaged. They're getting married." Hazel blurted out as everything around Manny started to spin.

"What?" She mumbled, trying to walk away. This couldn't be! Craig had told her ... he said ... he loved her. She knew it. "Craig." Manny walked up to him and Ash, giving her sweetest smile. As she looked down at Ashley's left hand, all of her nightmares had come to life. "Oh my God." Manny stared, unable to say anything else as Ashley walked away with Craig following afterwards. "But you love me." She whispered after him. "You love me." Manny tried to convince herself before a horrible ripping of her insides took over. She tried to make it to the bathroom, doubling over in front of the door. In a mess of puke and tears, Manny made her way to the bathroom, looking for something sharp ... anything to make this pain go away.

(A/N: Not too good, but at least I updated. It's been way too long guys!! That International Baccalaureate program will get you. Anyway, review and you will see Manny's revenge, Shelby's plea, the uncovering of Jennifer's truth, and Scott's revelation.)

Chapter Nine: Looks Like Trouble


	10. Chapter Nine: A Moment to Deliberate

Chapter Nine: A Moment to Deliberate

**Augie **

"There's something I need to tell you." She whispered to Augie, completely aware of the fact that what she was going to change could change everything, _would _change everything.

"What is it?" Augie wondered, still mesmerized by the perfectly woven waves in her jet-black hair. Afraid of what to say or do next, she remained hidden in the shadow, shielding herself behind her hair.

"I didn't come to Horizon for vacation." Augie laughed, not understanding where she was coming from.

"Chica, no one comes here to chill out. We're all here to get better." He explained.

"You see, that's what you're not getting. There's nothing wrong with me … I mean emotionally, or mentally … I mean--"

**Shelby**

Shelby approached Scott's cabin, hoping to get a few more words out to him before she completely gave up. She knew that if he really understood, he would be there for her. She couldn't understand why … Almost opening the door, she stopped, hearing two voices. Maybe it was Jenni and Scott … whoever it was, it sounded intense.

**Augie**

"I thought you were past denial. It's okay if you don't want anyone to know that we grew up together and used to do everything together. I respect that, but you'll never get out of here if you don't start to realize that. I can't be a true friend to you if I don't help you to get past this denial." Augie continued, unaware that Shelby was listening behind the door. Slowly, she moved to the window in order to hear better and confirm that it either was or was not Scott and Jenni talking.

"No Augie. That's just it. You don't listen. You never do. I'm trying to tell you something and I think it's something that you'll want to hear…"

**Manny**

"It can not be real. This is not happening. This is not real." Manny muttered to herself, searching her bookbag for something sharp, anything. She knew she used to keep scissors in here. Just as she was removing them from her bookbag, Stephanie walked in.

"What are you doing Manny?"

"Leave me alone. Craig loves me because h- he said he did. I-I know …" Stephanie rushed over to Manny, hugging her tightly as Hazel walked into the bathroom moments later.

"Shh. It's okay now. We're here."

"No, but …" Manny's voice trailed off as she left herself be partially comforted by her friend's voices. She listened quietly as they told her how Craig was a loser and how Ashley was being a bitch about everything. But trash-talking Craig only seemed to make him more important to Manny. She wanted someone to love her, and all this Craig drama was making him miserable. Well, if she was going to live the rest of her life wanting him and without anything, and if he wasn't going to give her what they both wanted then she was going to make his life equally miserable. Desperate situations called for desperate actions. Who cared if her life got any worse than it was already? Her life ended the day Craig walked out. Forever.

**Ashley**

"Manny is totally delusional. Did you see what she was doing back there … trying to interfere. You'd think that this would mean something to her." Ashley held up her hand, still gloating. Taking Craig back hadn't been the worst mistake of her life after all. "And then she kept running after us like a sick puppy dog. I almost felt bad for her." Paige nodded, completely able to relate to Ash's situation since Manny had tried to steal Spinner from her. "How pathetic. Right baby?"

Ashley squeezed Craig's hand as he nodded, literally biting his tongue to keep from speaking. He couldn't stand to hear anyone sit around and bash Manny. She hadn't asked to be brought into his Ashley-drama but, because of him, she was.

"I'm going to the snack machine. Want anything?"

"No, that's sweet of you, but I'm fine." Ashley smiled brightly, kissing Craig zealously as he slowly walked away, as not to provoke suspicion from Ashley in anyway.

**Craig**

"Glad to be out of there." Craig muttered, under his breath watching a wide-eyed Manny surrounded by Hazel and Stephanie. "Manny, hey!" He yelled as she didn't even bother to look back at him. If anything, her eyes grew dimmer, as if she didn't notice him at all.

**Augie**

"I don't get it." Augie admitted, still left in the dark.

"I came here to help my family through some things. I love them to death and I couldn't let…"

"What are you talking about? They don't just let people come here to help others through their struggle. Have you completely gone mad?" Augie wondered, walking over and sitting next to her. Softly, he started playing with her hair, something that had worked as a way to calm her down.

"I came here because Jenni wanted to get Scott back … we switched our files with someone else's and ended up here."

Shelby crouched lower into the grass, not really meaning to eavesdrop, but growing interested when she heard Jenni's name being mentioned.

"You've got to be joking. You let some people go free who really needed help because Jenni wanted another shot at Scott?" Augie yelled, removing all contact between himself and Rose. "That's really messed up Rose. How could you do something so stupid? There are people out there… But there's more, isn't there?"

"Yeah." She looked down and away. "I got knocked up and … I didn't know where else to go. I knew that you were the only one who could help me through this … I don't think that I can be a mother. I can barely handle dealing with my own siblings. What happens when I can't just say 'shut up and leave me alone?'" Rose wondered, hoping that Augie hadn't figured out the rest of the puzzle yet.

"So you came to me? We haven't talked in months. I know there's something else Rose. Spill it."

"It's been four months." She whispered. "Do you really need me to spell it out anymore for you?"

**Manny**

"You're the only one who ever really tried to understand me, but now you don't even care." Manny had torn down everything in her house that reminded her of Craig and now she just needed to get away. She had gotten a doctor to come and see Jimmy, who was fine minus a few scrapes. "I don't know why I ever believed you." Tears began rolling down her face as she looked over at Jimmy. He was lying on his bed, sleeping.

"You wouldn't have treated me like that, would you Jimmy?" She whispered. "You wouldn't have treated me like I didn't matter, only coming back for one thing and then trying to pretend like nothing happened. Does he even care?" Manny continued to rant. "You know what … it doesn't matter because I know something he doesn't." She giggled to herself.

"I know what it's like to be completely alone, without anyone. I know what it feels like to feel like you're constantly bleeding, and even though it isn't reality you want it to be so that you don't exist anymore. Even more importantly," Manny began, taking Jimmy's hand in hers and noticing how fragile he had become. "I know how to make you hurt more than I ever have. And I know who just to start with." Dropping Jimmy's hand, Manny closed the doors behind her, grabbing a knife on her way out. Too bad she didn't notice that Jimmy winced a little while she talked over him. Too bad she didn'tknow he was a light sleeper, and very much awake.

(A/N: What do you think? I haven't written this in so long that I feels so detached and uninspired. I'm not liking it too much, but let me know what you think and suggestions, please. NL)

Thanks to Julia, Lacey, and lovefromthefire for reviewing the last chap.


	11. Chapter Ten: You Left Me Alone

**Chapter Eleven: You Got Me Like a Loaded Gun**

Shelby

"She's been lying to you the entire time Scott. Jenny's the one who's been lying." Shelby repeated as Jennifer stood up defensively.

"What proof do you have, the sick delusions that you continually make up in your head?" Jennifer shot back, not willing to give up Scott just yet.

"Your cousin confessed." Shelby replied as Jennifer's face was full of surprise.

"Th-There's nothing to confess."

"So you didn't impersonate a troubled teen in order to come here and get a second shot with Scott? Am I lying?"

"She's not." Augie chimed in, appearing from the shadows. "Jennifer's been lying all along."

"Scott." She began to explain. "Look at me baby. Who are you going to believe? Me, who you love, or your cheating ex-girlfriend.

"I- I want to talk to your cousin."

Manny

"You're on your way to Horizon now. I don't want or expect to hear of any trouble from you because if you do, that's it. I will not longer support you." Ms. Santos explained.

"I haven't done anything to deserve to be here."

"Manuela, you've been cutting yourself, being promiscuous, and taking stolen anti-depressants." Her mother argued back.

"And did it ever occur to you mom … why I've been doing these things?" Manny asked. "How do you expect me to feel going home to that big house without anyone to even notice that I walked in? All I wanted was a little love."

"Nonsense. Nonsense!" Ms. Sanots repeated. "Love? Please _Manny_. Love doesn't exist. It's all about looking after yourself and frankly, you've become a burden." She paused. "I can't have you going around depressing my finance and tempting him."

"Why, because you're afraid to find out that he doesn't really love you … that no one ever could." Manny declared. "I wish my dad was here.

"Your father was a fool … filled with dreams that nearly left us bankrupt. Be grateful that you have a financial provider." Ms. Santos exclaimed as Manny started playing with the bandages that were wrapped around her wrists. She can remember, all too well, the day that she did them … the events that caused them, the last time she saw Craig.

FLASHBACK

Jimmy

"Dude, I am telling you that Manny is coming over there with a knife. She's lost it." Jimmy explained to Craig, who he had called as soon as Manny left.

"No way. I know she hates me, but she'd never hurt me." Craig explained.

"What about Ashley? Don't you think she deserves to know?" Jimmy questioned him further.

"Yeah. You're right." Craig paused for a moment. "Why don't you go call the police with your suspicions. Tell them to be at Ash's house … that's where I'm going." Craig answered hoping that he could talk her out of this.

Craig

"Manny, what are you doing here?" Craig questioned her as soon as he walked out of the house.

"I came to see you … and say goodbye." She added.

"Oh. You want to come in?"

"No, we can just stay out here." Manny responded. "I really don't have much to say at all anyway."

"Where are you going?" Craig asked as the feeling of being threatened transformed into a sudden urge to be with Manny. She looked so young and vulnerable, just like she did two years ago back in Grade 8.

"My mom's making me transfer. I'm leaving Degrassi." Manny gave me a small smile. "It's kind of what everyone wants for me anyway, right? To go away…"

"No!" Craig said abruptly. "No, I want you to stay."

"You don't have to lie to me. Everything's fine." Manny looked down, thinking about how good it would feel just to slice a small part of her skin … not too much, but just enough so that she'd feel the pain.

Or maybe she'd just take a couple of those pills that she'd stolen from Stephanie. Anti-depressant or something like that. After this conversation with Craig, she was going to need a million of those.

"I'll just go now. I've still got to tell Hazel and Steph."

"Wait," Craig said. "Why don't you come in for a while?"

Ashley

"Manny's not over at my house." Ashley told Jimmy who had called to make sure that nothing had happened to her.

"Do you think she's at Craig's then?"

"Bingo." I responded, hanging up the phone and jetting over there. No one was going to hurt Craig, especially not Manny.

Manny

"Craig…" Manny whispered softly, suddenly realizing that she was not dreaming. She was lying in bed next to Craig and he was getting ready to kiss her again.

"Hmm?" He stopped, staring deeply into her eyes.

"Is this real?" She asked knowing that this type of behavior would only get her sent to Horizon sooner. "I mean, do you really love me?"

"Oh my God." Ashley gasped, feeling like the weight of the world had just been added to her shoulders. CraigandManny. Again.

"I'm sorry Ashley. You shouldn't have … had to see this." Craig rushed over to Ashley, leaving Manny alone as he desperately tried to explain. After fifteen minutes had passed, without any word from Craig, Manny got the picture. She had let herself be used … again.

"I knew it wouldn't last…" She searched for the knife she'd taken from Jimmy's house and pressed the blade into the center of her wrist, contemplating as to whether she should go for the blade or not…

END

"Manuela … we're here." Ms. Santos informed her daughter who had barely had time to recover in the hospital before being brought here.

"Okay." She whispered quietly, regressing back to the shy, innocent girl she used to be. Only now, she was too broken to care about anything or anyone.

(A/N: Okay, this part of the story is over … a "Pre-Chapter" that lasted for 11 chapters. Anyway, I'll continue this story and express Manny's interactions with the kids at Horizon with "Till I Get Over You." Otherwise, this story will be way over 20 chapters. I'll try to update weekly or every two weeks on Sundays … today, so be on the look-out. Thanks for reviewing!! –NL)

A Special thanks to …

Keke1

Mandy

Lovefromthefire

Lacey

Julia


	12. Till I Get Over You: Sequel

Till I Get Over You

By: Nicole Lopez

Chapter One: Do You Wanna Run Away

The ride to Horizon was long, and full of chatter. Manny's "mother" busied herself by talking with anyone she could but her own daughter. Meanwhile, Manny opened and closed her cell phone, hoping to drown out her mother's continuous laughter, as if laughing would hide the fact that Manny had had yet another suicide attempt. Her mother just didn't get it. She was the only person she had left and all she could think about what herself—

"Dadabring." Manny's phone began. "Incoming message."

"Finally." Manny sighed to herself, checking to see who the message was from. Craig.

_Manny,_

_I came by, but I guess you were already on your way to Horizon. I just want you to know that I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I can't tell you how I really feel about … last night. I can only say that I hope you get better and that I will see you soon. _

_Craig_

"What are you staring at? Get out of the car!" Ms. Santos yelled, snatching the phone away from Manny before she could check the other message … also from Craig.

As Ms. Santos yanked Manny's body out of the car, she couldn't help but think about Craig. She had spent her last night locked up in her bedroom, crying and wishing that someone would call or even care. And her prayers had been heard. Craig was there.

It was kind of surreal when she heard scratching on her window and had looked up to see Craig Manning. Her Craig, standing, there and waiting for her to come out. At first, she contemplated whether or not this was the right thing to do. After all, being with Craig had lead her astray twice; once when she was sent to the asylum and when she had attacked Jimmy. But, it all seemed so far away when she saw him there.

Carefully, she climbed out of the window, barely noticing the cool breeze on her bare legs and arms. As she climbed out of the window, Craig was there, softly holding her waist. "Are you okay?" He wondered as Manny nodded shyly.

"I didn't expect to see you here … with Ashley and all."

"I heard you were leaving." Craig held her tightly. "I just … come with me." Craig took Manny's hand, leading her to his car and later along the dark beach where only their two figures remained. In silence, she held onto him, "for dear life" trying to prolong the time when they would have to part.

Softly, she kissed him, until they both fell into the sand, their hands heavily exploring one another's body, but having explored it enough to know every crevice. At that moment, Manny didn't care that Craig hadn't completely been there or that he was marrying Ashley. In that moment, he was all hers.

"Wake up!" Ms. Santos yelled, slapping Manny's across her head and yelling about how pitiful she was as a daughter.

"What more do you want from me?" Rose asked Jennifer who was following her to the steps where Shelby and Scott were waiting for her.

"I don't want you to say anything. Let me handle it." Jennifer demanded.

"Jenni, come on. We both know that you aren't going to handle it because you want this guy to want you. He hates liars and we lied." Rose shrugged.

"But I thought you had just as much to lose as I did." Jennifer began.

"I thought so too … until I told Augie."

"You told him? Rose."

"I had to. I can't be a single teenage mom. My sister did it and I know how much it sucks Jenni. I just want to have a family for my baby." Rose smiled, looking down.

"And I bet he thinks that it's someone else's. Don't let them get to you Rose. They've had good times in their lives, but we haven't had any. This is our time." Jennifer insisted as Shelby and Scott came into view.

"Are you going to tell us what's going on?" Scott wondered as Jennifer rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around his body. She turned cold, as Rose started to reveal the entire story and as Scott pushed her away.

(A/N: This isn't much of anything. I just wanted to let you guys know that I am writing more to this story as a sequel, but I'll keep it as one story on I hope you'll tune in for my first real chapter and please, please, please give me some ideas. I haven't written this in so long that I don't even know what's going on! Lol –NL)


	13. Two: And I Walked Alone

Chapter Two: And I Walked Alone

"Did you think you'd get away with it! Huh?" Scott yelled, furiously looking at Jennifer with more distaste and hate than she could bare. "Answer me!" He started to shake her.

"Scott, dude back off. She made a mistake. That's not a reason to put your hands on her." Augie stood up, pulling his friend off Jennifer.

"No. It's okay." Jenni sighed. "He deserves an answer … and I'll give you one, but I need to talk to you. Alone." Jennifer avoided eye contact with everyone in the room except Shelby, wishing that Shelby would just die off and let Jenni be with Scott.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you." Scott pulled away as Jennifer tried to touch his arm.

"Fine. But you brought it on yourself. After all these years, you're still the same asshole that doesn't give a damn about anyone else but himself. Thanks." Jennifer brushed past him, running off. Hearing footsteps behind her, she thought it was Scott changing his mind for some reason, but it was Rose.

"And here comes Judas." She declared as Rose shook her head.

"Don't you get it? This thing is about more than what you and I want. I'm about to be a mother. And it's such a beautiful thing." Rose smiled warmly, both excited and nervous at the same time. "I can't believe it … and I know I can't do it without Augie's help."

"As if I haven't heard already." Jennifer rolled her eyes. "It still sounds like this is all about you."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Rose wondered in disbelief as Jennifer nodded her head. "You are so selfish and deserve everything that happened to you back there." Rose stalked off, walking back in the direction where the other "Cliffhangers" were.

Craig

_I've got to find her and tell her how I feel, how much I love her_, Craig thought to himself, but he knew that he couldn't. Somehow he had wound up at Ashley's doorstep with flowers, in an attempt to beg for her forgiveness.

"I'll get it!" He heard her voice through the front doors as her seemingly okay tone of voice changed to pure hatred.

"I thought I told you to never speak to me again."

"Ashley. Wait." I stuck my foot in the door and handed her the flowers, which she threw down. "Okay." I sighed. "I'm sorry I made this mistake. It wasn't worth it, but you know how Manny is."

"You should've never been around her Craig. You know you have a history." Ashley looked away as I looked down. This was exactly what I did _not _want to do, but I couldn't have everyone in the school hate me. If Manny was here, the blame would be placed on her but I didn't want to be outcast.

"She's out of the picture for good Ashley. She's gone to some school in the mountains. And I want to be with you." I reached for her hand as Ashley pulled away.

"You know you're really into yourself. Just because you apologize doesn't mean I have to accept. I don't." Ashley sniffed. "Please, just stop talking to me. Please." She closed the door slowly in my face with the flowers being smeared to the front steps, some half-caught up in the doorway.

Manny

"Everyone this is Manuela Santos, our newest Cliffhanger." Peter introduced her, normally letting the kids get adjusted first but she had come during a time when everyone _needed _to be in the same place.

Moments earlier, there was a huge altercation between Shelby, Scott, Jennifer, and Augie. Everyone seemed exhausted by it and by the end, Jennifer looked as though she was begging to go home.

"Say hello to Manuela." Sophie chimed in, wondering why Peter had stopped his introduction all-of-a-sudden.

The worn-out group of Cliffhangers muttered their greetings as Jennifer sat deflated, as if the world had been pulled out from underneath her.

"I'm Scott." A curly haired blonde guy introduced himself, showing me the first sense of kindness since I'd entered this place.

"Hi." She whispered softly, thinking of how Craig's hair was so much darker than Scott's and how much she wished that he could come here and save her.

"Manny, we're going to start off with a group. We'll start with Jennifer. She'll say 'I feel…' and then give a reason why, and call on someone else. You'll get the hang out it." Sophie reassured me with a smile as I tried to think of a plan to get to a phone. The idiots had taken my cell phone and even my _I-pod_, as if I was going to concoct a weird plan to attack someone or hurt myself. Sighing, I looked at the first girl. Latina, no doubt.

"I feel … confused. Everything was going so great and now everything is wrong." Jennifer paused. "Maybe I should've said betrayed. I feel betrayed."

"Why do you feel betrayed?" Peter chimed in as Jennifer shrugged. "I'll let you get away with that one today, but no more of it."

"Yeah. She won't be here." Scott scoffed angrily.

"We'll move onto you. Scott."

"I feel angry."

"Because?" Peter pushed.

"You can't trust anyone." The 'group' continued on this way as I started to learn more and more about these kids through their answers, feeling completely out of the loop because all answers were pretty much directed to Jennifer.

"Manny, are you ready?" Sophie wondered as I nodded, biting my lip and trying to figure out which guy would be the one to make me forget about Craig.

"I feel … really mixed up. There seems like there is so much going on here that I'm not apart of and I'd rather be home with my friends." I admitted, giving them the saddest look I could decipher. It was about time that I was the victim and not the criminal.

Jennifer

"Jenni, can you stay afterwards?" I nodded watching all of the other Cliffhangers walk by and give me dirty looks, except Rose. She looked concerned. _Now _she cared.

"Yeah. What's going on?" I wondered, acting completely normal.

"There have been some accusations against you that you switched your files with someone else's." He began.

"And? You're calling me here about accusations?" I shrugged. "I'm just the most hated girl at Horizon right now and people are just making up stuff. God, this is worse than high school." I rolled my eyes, denying everything.

I didn't want to go home. Not yet. And as of right now, it was all he said, she said.

"I want you to know that this is a serious accusation and we will be checking up on it."

"By all means. It's your job." I held back a smirk, reluctantly walking over towards the other Cliffhangers, who evidently didn't want me around, so I decided to talk to the new girl. "Hey. I'm Jenni."

"Manny." She looked back at the other kids, amazed by the scenery.

"After a couple of weeks here, you'll be dying to get out more than you are now." I explained. "Why are you here?"

"Because I didn't have a choice." She answered as I laughed.

"Let me warn you now. This place is a real drag and no one here knows how to have fun. They won't even give us cigarettes." I continued, changing my entire demeanor. Maybe she would be the one person here who didn't hate me. I just had to get to her before everyone else told her the real truth.

"Really? I'm more pissed off that they took my cell phone."

"Got a boyfriend back home?" I pried.

"No. It's nothing like that at all."

"I know what you mean." I looked back at Scott who was talking normally with Shelby. I still couldn't figure them out—why they worked and we didn't.

"You're with Scott? Now he's a hottie." Manny smiled as we giggled together.

"Try an asshole. I'm thinking about moving on to someone else … maybe him." I pointed to Trey who ran past us, giving us both a look over.

"So they allow relationships here?" Manny wondered playing with her hair.

"Unofficially. No kissing and stuff in public." I responded as she looked at me stunned. "I know it sucks."

"What about outside visitors?"

Ashley

I went to school the next day, the day _after_ Craig had come to house with flowers, deciding that the whole goth thing is where I needed to be. It scared away people, hopefully the right people.

"Hey Ash." Ellie gave me a hug. "Nice outfit." She complemented my all black ensemble consisting of fishnets, ankle boots, a mini and long-sleeved off the shoulder top.

"Yeah. I'm going for the whole 'I don't care' look. Is it working?" I wondered as people continued to give me pity looks and stare.

"No one gets over someone in a couple of days Ash. Give it time." I walked with Ellie to Degrassi's newspaper room, doing whatever I could to avoid his pale confused face and disheveled hair.

"So Ashley, are you ready for your interview about your band's new sound?" Liberty wondered, coming towards me with a tape recorder and a notepad.

"No. I'm not doing it. I'm out of the band." I turned to walk away as Ellie stopped me.

"Don't listen to her. She doesn't mean it."

"Yes I do! I'm through with it. I don't want to talk about it, or think about it. I'm done with Craig, this band, and … music!"

Scott

"I can't believe you're letting her off the hook Peter. She doesn't belong here! She _lied _to get here!" I screamed, pacing around his office angrily.

"If this is true and I mean if, then Jenni does belong here. Anyone who would do something like that clearly has an abnormal obsession and does belong here."

"Peter, I can't believe you're taking her side!" I kicked a chair over in a fit of rage. "She's lying to everyone and she's ruining everything. I want her gone."

"Scott, I do not tolerate that tone. Calm down." Peter demanded as I resumed pacing.

"So, that's it? We're done?"

"We're done." Peter nodded as I slammed the door in response, ready to give Jenni a piece of my mind.

"Oh, Scott you and Jennifer will be showing Manny around." Sophie called out to me. She had to be kidding. How was I going to spend all that time with Jennifer, in so close a proximity without freaking out.

(A/N: I updated, but I'm at a loss for how to continue this. I need some ideas. What events do you want to see? Who do you want to hear more about? –NL)


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